Briefing for the December 15, 2008 Special Meeting and the December 16, 2008 Regular Meeting
| To: | Members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education |
| From: | Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner |
| Date: | December 5, 2008 |
The next regular meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will be on Tuesday, December 16, 2008, at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Malden. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. and will adjourn by 12:30 p.m. The Board also will hold a special meeting on Monday evening, December 15, 2008, from 6-9 p.m. in the same location. (A light supper will be provided for Board members starting at 5 p.m.) If you need overnight accommodations or any additional information about the schedule, please call Belinda Wilson at (781) 338-3118.
Overview
Special Meeting
The topic for discussion at our special meeting on Monday evening is the Report of the Task Force on 21st Century Skills. Task Force chair Gerald Chertavian and several members of the task force presented their report and recommendations to the Board on November 18th. This is an opportunity for the Board to review and discuss the report in depth. No votes are scheduled.
To help guide our discussion, Chair Maura Banta has invited three experts to join us: Richard Murnane, Harvard University professor of education and society; E.D. Hirsch, Jr., founder and chairman of the Board for the Core Knowledge Foundation; and Michael Cohen, president of Achieve.
Regular Meeting
The agenda for our regular meeting on Tuesday morning includes a report on the Commonwealth's participation in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, continuing discussion of the report of the Task Force on 21st Century Skills, initial review of six charter school matters, and a report from the State Student Advisory Council.
Comments from the Chair
Comments from the Commissioner
Comments from the Secretary
We will each brief the Board on current issues and activities.
Items for Discussion and Action
- TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) Report - Discussion
In August 2006 the Board voted to have Massachusetts participate as its own "nation" in the 2007 administration of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), allowing educators the rare opportunity to compare the performance of the Commonwealth's students to that of their peers worldwide. Participation in TIMSS provides us with another benchmark against which to calibrate our progress in raising student achievement. Participation involved a random sampling of 50 schools and 2,000 students at grades 4 and 8. Fourth graders completed a 30-minute questionnaire and took a 72-minute test with math and science questions. Eighth graders completed a 30-minute questionnaire and took a 90-minute test in math and science. The tests, which are given every four years, were administered in April/May 2007. We are receiving and releasing the results this month and I will present the report to the Board.
- Report of the Task Force on 21st Century Skills - Continuing Discussion
Chair Banta will recap the discussion and anticipated next steps from our special meeting.
- Charter Schools: Renewals for Five Schools: Berkshire Arts & Technology, Conservatory Lab, Hill View, KIPP, and Robert M. Hughes - Initial Discussion
At the Board's meeting in November, we presented an overview of the charter school review and renewal process. Another copy of the PowerPoint presentation is enclosed for easy reference. The Board will take action on renewal of 11 charters in this fiscal year. Five charter renewals are presented to the Board this month for initial review and discussion: Berkshire Arts & Technology, Conservatory Lab, Hill View, KIPP, and Robert M. Hughes. Associate Commissioner Jeff Wulfson and Charter Schools Director Mary Street will be at the Board meeting to respond to any questions about charter school matters. The Board will vote in January on these charter renewals.
- Charter Schools: Status Report on Uphams Corner Charter School - Initial Discussion
The Board renewed the charter of Uphams Corner Charter School in 2007 with five conditions that the school had to meet by specified dates. The materials under Tab 4 summarize the five conditions and report on the school's progress. I will present a recommendation to you at the December 16th meeting.
- State Student Advisory Council Trimester Report - Discussion
Board member AJ Fajnzylber, who chairs the State Student Advisory Council, will present the council's trimester report. He also will discuss with the Board the "On-Campus Student Voter" bill. The materials AJ has prepared are enclosed under Tab 5.
Other Items for Information
- Education-Related News Clippings
Enclosed are several recent articles about education.
- Report on Grants and Charter School Extended Loan Term Approved by the Commissioner
Enclosed under Tab 7 is a report on grants I approved in the last month, per the Board's vote in October 2008 to delegate grant approvals to the commissioner. This authorization allows us to make decisions and inform grant applicants on a timely basis. The Board also voted in October 2008 to delegate to the commissioner authority to approve extended loan terms for charter schools, a routine administrative matter. Under the charter school statute, a charter school may incur temporary debt in anticipation of receipt of funds, but requires approval from the Board if it wishes to agree to repayment terms that exceed the duration of the school's charter. The Commonwealth has no liability for any portion of these loans. The second item enclosed under Tab 7 is a memo on one charter school extended loan term that I approved on the Board's behalf under this authorization.
- FY 2010 Budget Update: Board's Budget Submission to Secretary of Education
After the Board's vote last month on the FY 2010 maintenance and aspirational budget recommendations, we received further direction from the Administration about reductions to be made in the maintenance level. I will provide Board members with a copy of our budget transmittal letter to Secretary Reville.
- Directions to the Meeting
If you have questions about any agenda items, please call me. I look forward to seeing you in Malden on December 15th and 16th.
last updated: December 10, 2008
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